The Eiffel Tower Stands Above All

Over the streets of Paris, France, rises a tall and famous lattice tower, symbolizing the nation. An internationally recognized symbol of France, the Eiffel Tower stands among the list of the most famous structures across the globe.

This wrought iron structure initially was constructed as an entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, to celebrate the French Revolution’s century anniversary. More than 100 artists competed with plans for the monument, but the contract was given to an expert architect and Statue of Liberty designer Alexandre Eiffel.

The tower’s design consisted of 18,000 iron pieces of iron along with a number of 2.5 million rivets. It took hundreds of workers more than 2 years to finish, and when it was completed in March of 1889 it was approximately one thousand feet or more than 300 meters high – more than twice the height of the pyramids at Giza – making it the world’s tallest structure until the Chrysler building was completed in 1930.

Standing above the masses while you’re atop, the tall-standing tower can be a very emotional experience. The tower is the prime place for many events that symbolize the French heritage and international significance. Amongst other highlights of Paris featured at kry, there are a number of special light shows that can be seen throughout Paris, each one representing different occasions – historical victories, pyrotechnic shows, and even repainting campaigns!

It’s surprising to know that the tower was initially meant to be a temporary structure, and only stand for 20 years. Many of the people of Paris disliked the tower. They thought it was unattractive, or that it was dangerous and might fall down. By the time the tower was supposed to be removed, however, people had realized that it was a valuable way to transmit wireless telegraph and radio signals, and officials of the city made a decision to keep it. It continues to be used for communications today, with more than 100 antennas on it.

Regardless of its tall stature, the Eiffel is incredibly wind-resistant. It only sways up to five inches in wind, but when the side facing the sun heats up and expands, the top may move up

to seven inches from its original position. The tower is completely repainted every seven

years to protect it from rusting, using 60 tons of paint each time. Originally, the tower

was reddish brown and the color was changed sometimes when it was repainted. It was once

even painted yellow! These days it is painted a bronze color called “Eiffel Tower Brown.”

Today, the Eiffel tower is the most popular paid attraction in the world, with about 7

million visitors each year. It has inspired replicas and imitations around

the world, from Japan to Guatemala to Las Vegas. No longer considered an eyesore, the

tower is an icon of France and is inside the World Heritage Site that includes certain

parts of Paris.

Written by Rebecka